SIBU: Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has clarified that the contractor responsible for the recent cleaning incident at Sibu Hospital, where dust fell onto a patient’s bed, was not appointed by him.
Instead, the contractor was employed by the hospital’s service provider, One Medicare Sdn Bhd (OMSB).
In a statement, Tiong responded to circulating allegations on social media suggesting that a contractor engaged by him had compromised patient safety, calling them unfounded.
“I wish to stress that the cleaning of light fixtures, which allegedly resulted in dust falling onto a patient’s bed, was not conducted by the contractor I appointed.”
He clarified that his appointed contractor was only responsible for installing new air-conditioning units in the hospital wards.
“The cleaning of light fixtures was outside their scope of work. The misunderstanding likely arose due to the close timing between the air-conditioning installation and the cleaning activities.”
Expressing concern over the situation, Tiong stressed the importance of prioritising patient safety and maintaining high hygiene standards within healthcare facilities.
Following the incident, Sibu Hospital announced that an internal investigation was underway.
Tiong assured that disciplinary action would be taken against those found to have violated standard operating procedures (SOPs).
“This incident should remind all parties involved in healthcare services that patient welfare and cleanliness must be prioritised at all times,” he said.
“Proper maintenance procedures, such as using damp cloths to clean light fixtures and prevent dust dispersion, must always be followed.”
Tiong called on contractors and service providers working within healthcare settings to uphold the highest standards of hygiene and professionalism to ensure patient safety and wellbeing.
